The poetical works of Mark Akenside.

  • Mark Akenside
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The poetical works of Mark Akenside. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    409/418 page 307
    Too long my genius mourned ins myrtle chain, And three rich years of youth consumed in vain. My wishes, lulled with soft inglorious dreams, Forgot the patriot’s and the sage’s themes : Through each Elysian vale and fairy grove, Through all the enchanted paradise of love, Misled by sickly hope’s deceitful flame, Averse to action, and renouncing fame. At last the visionary scenes decay, My eyes, exulting, bless the new-born day, Whose faithful beams detect the dangerous road In which my heedless feet securely trod, And strip the phantoms of their lying charms That lured my soul from Wisdom’s peaceful arms. For silver streams and banks bespread with flowers, For mossy couches and harmonious bowers, Lo! barren heaths appear, and pathless woods, And rocks hung dreadful o’er unfathomed floods : For openness of heart, for tender smiles, [wiles; Looks fraught with love, and wrath-disarming Lo! sullen spite, and perjured lust of gain, And cruel pride, and crueller disdain; Lo ! cordial faith to idiot airs refined, Now coolly civil, now transporting kind. For graceful ease, lo! affectation walks ; And dull half-sense, for wit and wisdom talks. New to each hour what low delight succeeds, What precious furniture of hearts and heads! By nought their prudence, but by getting, known, And all their courage in deceiving shown. See next what plagues attend the lover’s state, What frightful forms of terror, scorn, and hate! See burning fury heaven and earth defy ! See dumb despair in icy fetters lie! See black suspicion bend his gloomy brow, The hideous image of himself to view !
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3